Newcastle Anglican Bishop Greg Thompson Quits after Working Hard to Deal with Abuse Issues

By Giselle Wakatama
ABC News
March 16, 2017

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-16/newcastle-anglican-bishop-greg-thompson-quits/8359408

Anglican Bishop of Newcastle Greg Thompson has resigned after three years of dealing with issues related to clerical abuse and cover ups.

An emotional Bishop Thompson last year told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse his efforts to expose a decades-old culture of abuse and cover-ups had led to a concerted push to get rid of him.

The bishop is himself an abuse survivor and said he was resigning to put his health and family first.

"The impact of leading the diocese at various levels and addressing that culture has had a personal impact on my health, and I think has been something that got me thinking about how long I could have done it for," Bishop Thompson said.

PHOTO: Bishop Thompson hopes others will continue his work against child abuse. (ABC News: Robert Virtue)

"I've given my all and my legacy, I think, here in Newcastle is the issues of social justice for survivors."

The bishop said he had worked hard to end a culture of not listening.

"I think the serious matters of the past, the crimes against children, the culture of not wanting to know and the culture of covering up are being addressed," he said.

"I believe I have turned over the ground and others will continue.

"There are very fine leaders in the Anglican church of Newcastle who will continue to run with the momentum for a healthy future."

Bishop praised for courage and strength

One of the abuse survivors who had met regularly with Bishop Thompson was CKA.

CKA said Newcastle had lost a good man.

"I am quite sad that Bishop Greg is going. He has been a good strong advocate for people," CKA said.

"He stood shoulder to shoulder with us, an incredible man, a man of great strength, a man of great courage.

"He certainly listened. I have spoken personally with Bishop Greg on many, many occasions, and the compassion he has shown has been extraordinary, but he's paid a horrible price for it.

"It's an indication of what happens in the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle when you stand up to people. They just carve you up and cut you down."

PHOTO: A child abuse survivor says there have been some huge changes within the Newcastle diocese. (AAP: Darren Pateman)

CKA said he hoped Bishop Thompson's hard-fought legacy would live on.

"There's been some massive changes within the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle," CKA said.

"I hope it's sustainable. You know I guess we have just got to put our faith in those that come next that they will continue his work."

A champion for justice

Sydney's Anglican Archbishop, Glenn Davies, said Bishop Thompson's work had changed the church for the better.

"Bishop Greg Thompson has been a stalwart in his advocacy for justice for survivors of abuse," he said.

"He's been a champion of seeking justice against the perpetrators and it's taken its toll on him."

The Archbishop said Bishop Thompson's successor would have a lot of work to do.

"The next bishop of Newcastle will have to be a healer," he said.

"One who can bring healing across a disaffected diocese in terms of the events of the last couple of years."

The election of a new bishop will be discussed at a special session of the Anglican synod in May.

Diocese urged to build on Bishop's legacy

Bishop Thompson's resignation has saddened Leonie Sheedy, who heads the Care Leavers Australia Network.

But she said she understood why he needed to go.

"I feel sad for him, but I understand his need to pull back," Ms Sheedy said.

"Everyone has a limit of how much they can be involved in the terrible crimes of children and the cover ups that have gone on.

"Thank you to Greg for the fight that he did and the changes that he brought in the Anglican Church and in Newcastle, and what a brave man he was when he spoke out about being sexually abused himself.

"Change needs to happen and so well done to Greg, but his successor needs to carry on his legacy."